Cobnelius decree



0 DECKER.

GAR AXLE BOX.

(No Model.)

No. 337,565. Patented Man 9, 1886 llmmill w" liii ll IlNiTEE STATES PATENT @FFlCE.

CORNELIUS DECKER, .OF PULLMAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ALEXANDER TROMBLY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,565, dated March 9, 1886.

A pplication filed August 9, 1884. Serial No. 140,072. (No model.)

7 10 at two sides of its front opening with guideways for a sliding cover, which latter is provided with means for permitting a sliding connection between the cover and the front end or face of the box.

1 The objects of my invention are to provide between the sliding cover and the box a connection,which when the cover is in a closed position, shall thoroughly and effectively exclude dust from the box; to provide between the sliding cover and the box a connection by which the act of closing either a straight or a curved cover on a straight or front face of the box shall cause the cover to wedge or bind firmly against the latter, so as to form a tight joint between the two when the cover is closed; to provide acar'axle box with a curved sliding cover operating on a circular path, so that when the cover is raised it shall be thrown forward from the box, and there'by'be selfsupporting; to provide the box with externally-located stops and the cover with means situated outside of the box and arranged to engage said stops when the cover is open; to provide means for preventing dust from entering the box at either the top or sides of its front opening when the cover is closed, and for strengthening the box, as well as for affording guide-ways and a seat for the cover; to provide an easily-operating and a simple and efficient construction of dust-proof sliding cover for a car-axle box, and, also, to provide certain improved details of construction, substantially as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the annexed drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of the front end of the car-axle box embodying my invention, and with the cover removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cover, showing its outer side. Fig. 3is alike view showing the 'inner or under side of the cover. Fig. 4 is a topplan View of the box with the cover closed thereon. Fig. 5 is a side elevation with a portion ofthccover broken away. Fig. 6 is a section Online a: m, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail section on liner; Fig. 5.

The box A,which, if preferred,can be made in one piece, has its front side somewhat inclined, so that the sliding lid or cover, when closed over the front opening in the box,shall incline to the rear of the latter, as heretofore. The inclined front face or end of the box is, however, formed on a curve, and the sliding cover Bis formed on a curve corresponding to the curvature of this portion of the box, as herein illustrated.

The box is provided along each of its two opposing curved side edges with a double or angular flange, 0, running from the upper to thelower horizontal edges of the opening, and formed on a curve similar to the cur- 7o vature of the said side edges. These said side flanges, which are made angular in cross-see tion, consist each of a flange portion, 0, running along a curved side edge of the box and formed at right angles to the side of the latter, while the remaining portions of the double or angular flanges consist each of a flange portion, 0, formed along the outer longitudinal edge of one of the inner flange portions, c,and standing out therefrom at right angles to the said inner curved portion. The outer flange portions, 0', are gradually contracted in width from their lower to their upper ends, in which way a pair of taperingguide-supports are provided for t-hesliding cover,which is construct- 95 ed at its two opposite side edges to conform to the shape of the said tapering guide-supports, so as to closely embrace the same when the cover is in its closed position,and to thereby so effectually close the joint between the cover and the box at the sides of the front opening in the latter that the entrance of dust to the box shall be impossible. For this purpose the cover is provided at each of its two curved side edges with a double or angular flange, D, composed of a flange portion, d, formed along a side edge of the cover and standing back from the cover at right angles to the latter, and a curved narrow flangeportiomd, formed along the edge of the flange portion d and sit- I00 uated at right angles to the latter. The side flange portions, d, are gradually contracted in width from their lower to their upper ends, in which way the flange portions at will respectively be on curves eccentric to each other, so as to correspond to the curves of the edges 0' of the flange portion 0 and the under or rear sides of the flange portions 0 of the double flanges at the sides of the front opening in the box. Under such construction the side edge flanges or lips of the cover lap over the flanges or angular guideways at the sides of the front opening in the box, and by reason of the upward taper given to the guideways on the box and the side tips on the cover, (which are attained by the construction of flanges hereinbet'ore descriheth) the cover when in a closed position will be drawn close down on the box and wedged thereon with abinding force sufficient to keep the cover effectively closed,and to close the joint, that dust shall be excluded from the box.

In order to close the jointbet ween the cover and the box at the corners of the opening in the latter, the box is formed with two side extensions, E, at the lower corners of its front opening, which said extensions unite with the lower end of the flange portions 0 and c, and are simply in the nature of corner extensions of the wall of the box at the points where the lower ends of the double flanges on the box terminate. \Vhen the cover is closed, its under or inner side will rest against the straight edge F, formed along the terminus of the bot tom A of the box, which curves upwardly,and is somewhat prolonged above the lower ends of the flange portions 0, so as to admit of the extensions E being formed for the purpose just described and also so as to provide a straightedged lip, F, running in a direct line between the lower terminals of the two curved edges 0' of the guidesupports on the box. Owing to the binding action consequent upon sliding the cover down into place over the opening, the cover will be held firmly seated against this lower edge, F, and hence a tight joint attained between the two.

As a means for effectually closing at the top the opening which has its area thus enlarged by reason of the angular guides on the box, the latter is providedat the top of its front opening with a transverse ledge, G, projecting out to the upper terminals of the front curved cdges,c",ol' the guides O on the box and running from one to the other. This ledge is provided with an upper longitudinal rib por tion, G, with which a bent lip, H, along the upper edge of the cover engages when the cover is in aclosed position, as in Fig. 6, in which waya close joint is attained between the upper edge of the cover and the box.

The cover is provided at each ofits two lower end corners with a hook, I, which is bent back from the cover, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. These books are formed at the lower ends of the flange portions (3 ol' the angular side lips of the cover, and are arranged so as to lie at the outer sides of the side guides on the box when the cover is fitted thereon. At points near the front top corners thereof I provide a pair ot'lugs or stops, K, which are arranged so that when the sliding cover is moved up, so as to open the box, the hooks I will engage the stops K, after the cover has reached its open position, and thus prevent the cover from dropping off. These stops are arranged outside ot'the box, and the hooks are also arranged on the cover, so as to come outside the box, in which way the necessity of studs at the sides. of the cover working in grooves formed in the inner side of flanges at the side of the box, as has been done in some instances, is avoided, and hence the angular lips of the cover are allo ed to overlap the angular guides on the box, so as to form a tight-slidingjoint between the said two members.

The gnidmvays or supports 0 on the box are provided with notches L in the edges 0 thereof at points near the upper ends of said guides, whereby when the cover is in an open position itslower edge can rest in said notches, and thereby support the cover in an open position as long as may be necessary.

In operating this lid so as to open or close the box, it will be seen that the lid will slide in a curved or circular path, and hence that when the lid is open to its fullest extent it will be thrown forward from the box,in which position the stops K will form bearings for the hooks on the lid, while the lower edge 'of the latter will rest in the notches L, formed on the gnideway on the box. It will be obvious, however, that by arranging the curve of the guideway so that the ends thereof shall be in substantially a vertical plane, instead of in an inclined plane, as herein shown, the notches L an be dispensed with, since, when the lid is drawn up to its open position it will incline forward from the trout of the box to such angle that its lower edge simply resting against the front guide portion of the box will be sufficient to maintain the lid in such position.

The rib across the top edge of the box, while acting in conjunction with the curved upper lip of the cover to form a tightjoint when the cover is closed, also serves to strengthen the box, and also the tapered flanges snbserve the same purpose.

In conclusion, it may be observed that, owing to the hooks and stops, the cover cannot be lost from the box; also, so far as the wedge feature of the gnideways on the box and the side lips on the cover are concerned, the same could be embodied in a straight cover and straight gnidcways.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The box provided with the angular longitudinally wedge-shapedside flanges and with astud.K,in combination with the cover provided with corresponding flanges overlapping the box-tlanges and provided with a hook adapted to be caught in the stud, all said flanges being concave with reference to the plane of the lace of the boX, whereby when the cover is elevated and its hook caught on the stud the upper end of said cover will be swung forward, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The car-axlebox provided with thegnideway 0, concave with reference to the plane of the face of the box, and the corner extensions, E, at the two lower corners of its front opening, in combination with the concavo-convex sliding cover provided with the side lips, D, adapted to overlap the said guideways on the box, substantially as described.

3. The canaxle box provided with guideways, substantially as described, at two sides of its front opening and a ribbed ledge running along the upper edge of said opening, in combination with a cover having overlapping side flanges and a curved lip along its top edge adapted to fit over the transverse rib on the-box when the cover is closed, substantially as set forth.

CORNELIUS DECKER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. PAGE, W. W. ELLIOTT. 

